Understanding
by Sara Jaye
Summary: During an argument with Lucius, Raven says something he instantly regrets...and comes to a realization or two about himself and his relationship with Lucius.


"Understanding"  
by Sara Jaye

Yay, RavenxLucius! :D This is a little angst/fluff piece based on their C and B support conversations.

(Fire Emblem isn't mine, I'm just borrowing the characters for a while.)

-

The sun set over the horizon as another day drew to a close. That afternoon's battle had been fairly easy, albeit long and tiresome. Lucius sighed as he leaned against a tree, looking off into the distance. During that battle, he'd been unable to keep his eyes off of Raven...it was troubling, seeing the hatred in the mercenary's eyes whenever he cast a glance at Lord Hector.

'I wish he would stop this...Lord Hector is a good man, I just can't believe he and his brother would have brought down House Cornwell. I can't...and yet, Lord Raymond refuses to listen when anyone tries to tell him differently,' he thought. 'Maybe...I should try and talk about it with him. Maybe now that we're on the same side, he'll listen to me.'

Grabbing one of his spell books and a vulnerary (Even if the enemy had retreated, a person could never be too careful these days), Lucius quickly ran off to find his friend. He found him in a hidden spot of the forest, cleaning the dried blood from his sword. Lucius swallowed nervously, then quietly made his presence known.

"Lord Raymond..."

Raven immediately looked up, not bothering to ask who it was. Only one person still bothered to address him by that name.

"Lucius."

"Are you well?" Lucius asked.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You complained of a headache last night. I wanted to make sure it hadn't gotten worse," Lucius said.

"It's gone. It was just fatigue." Raven re-sheathed his sword. "What about you? Are you feeling all right? Any more nightmares?"

"No, I've been fine." Lucius smiled. "Sorry to have been such a burden the other night."

"Then...is there anything else on your mind?" Raven asked.

"What do you mean?"

"It's written all over your face." Raven looked his friend in the eye. "This is about the revenge on Ostia, isn't it?"

"...Lord Raymond, is...there truly no way your heart can be changed?" Lucius sighed.

"If there was, would I be here right now?" Raven snapped.

"Lord Raymond...the Marquess of Cornwell and his wife were very important to me, and I feel such sadness when I think that they are gone...but still...!"

"Settling this grudge will not bring them back. Burying Hector just to spite Ostia will only rise to more hate," Raven said stiffly.

"You understand, yet you still proceed," Lucius said.

"How can you tell me to forget the crime that was committed?"

"I-"

"Have the teachings of the benevolent gods given you the strength to love thine enemy?"

"No, that's not it!" Lucius said. Raven ignored him.

"I have no such strength," he sighed.

"L-Lord Raymond..."

"And I think we were never more than a temporary family to you...I was never more than a temporary family to you. Is that it?!"

"No!" Lucius cried. "Lord Raymond, please listen to me! You're wrong, it's just that-"

"If you so object to my actions then don't come!" Raven cut him off.

"Lord Raymond!"

"I mean it!"

Lucius swallowed, his gaze hardening ever so slightly as his fists clenched.

"Then leave me where you will. Ignore me now and forevermore!" he said.

Raven twitched, trying to maintain his cold, steely glare.

"Fine," he said. "See if I care where you go! Just get out of my sight!"

Lucius stepped backward, his eyes widening slightly in shock. For a moment, Raven worried that Lucius would start to cry, and he cursed himself for speaking as he had. He knew very well he hadn't meant those words, and yet his stubborn pride wouldn't let him apologize.

But Lucius shed not a single tear. He simply nodded and closed his eyes.

"Then I will take my leave now," he said quietly. "Farewell, Lord Raymond..." He swallowed. "Please stay well..."

He turned around and began to walk away. Raven clenched his fist and kicked at the dirt.

'Why does it have to be this way? Enough is enough!'

He quickly ran after the blond and grabbed his arm.

"Lucius, wait!"

Lucius stopped, but did not turn around to face the other man.

"...Lord Raymond..."

"...I..." Raven sighed. Why was it suddenly so hard to speak to someone he'd known ever since they were small?!

"I've been a burden on you all this time, haven't I?" Lucius said quietly, blinking back tears. "I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you any trouble, my lord...if you really wish for me to stay out of your sight, then I will..."

"I DON'T want you out of my sight!" Raven yelled.

"But you said-"

"I didn't mean it, all right? I...I got angry..."

"And it was my fault. I'm sorry, Lord Raymond."

"No, Lucius...I'm the one who should be sorry. I AM sorry," Raven sighed. "I've been treating you like a bothersome stray cat lately, and you didn't do anything to deserve it. You've been so patient and understanding and all I've done is hurt you."

"That isn't true," Lucius said.

"Yes it is! I've treated you terribly, made you feel like a burden...I've basically been abusing you all this time, Lucius!" Raven yelled.

"Stop saying those things!" Lucius cried

"Lucius...!"

"I know you better than you know yourself, Lord Raymond! You're not an abusive person...no matter what you say, in the end there is always care in your heart! That's why I won't leave...because I know you're still the same Lord Raymond I grew up with," Lucius said, slowly turning to face Raven. Raven sighed.

"How can you say this? How can you truly believe that after the way I've been treating you?" he asked. "You'll forgive anyone, no matter how-" He yelped as he was suddenly cut off by Lucius throwing himself into his arms. "L-Lucius?!"

"I don't care how stern and angry you've been with me," Lucius said, pressing his face against the redhead's chest. "Just please...stop pretending you've become a different person...you're not someone who should dwell on revenge, my lord!"

"...Lucius..."

"Please..." A stubborn tear slid down Lucius's cheek, absorbed by the fabric of Raven's jacket. Raven sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around his companion.

"Lucius, don't cry..."

"I'm not crying."

"Liar. Your voice is shaking."

"I-I'm sorry..." Lucius sniffled a little. Raven fell silent as he quietly held him, gently stroking his back. He felt Lucius tremble and pull closer to him, then relax.

"You're my last family," he mumbled at length.

"Hmm?"

"Priscilla...she's been away from me for so long it's like we're not related by anything but blood...my parents are gone...Lucius, you're all I have left."

"Lord Raymond..."

"I was scared, Lucius. I didn't want to lose the last of my family...that's why I tried to keep you away from the battle," Raven said.

"Mm...I understand," Lucius murmured.

"I don't really say it often, and I haven't been acting like it lately, but...you're very precious to me. Even if you weren't the only family I had left, I'd feel the same," Raven said, a smile crossing his normally sullen face. Lucius looked up for a moment. His eyes were a little red and watery, but he was smiling as well.

"Really?"

"Yes." Raven gently stroked Lucius's cheek.

"Lord Raymond..." Lucius's eyes closed as he leaned his face into Raven's palm.

"Please, don't call me that anymore," Raven said. "It doesn't matter if I'm from a noble house and you're not. You're my equal. So please...just call me Raven from now on."

"I...if that's what you wish, Lord Raymond. ...No..." Lucius shook his head and smiled. "...Raven," he whispered.

"Much better." Raven tightened his arms around his companion.

"That was easier than I expected," Lucius murmured with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, going from calling me your lord and master to treating me like your equal is really so hard." Raven smirked.

"Old habits are hard to break, Lord-er, Raven."

"Obviously."

Lucius sighed, nestling further into the warm embrace.

"Now...about what we were discussing earlier..." he began. Raven groaned.

"I should've known you wouldn't forget about that," he grumbled. "You'll never let up until I give in, will you?"

"I know I can't force you to change your mind...but...surely I can at least convince you to think about it?" Lucius asked, smiling gently. "And just so you know, I won't leave your side no matter what your decision."

"So you'd follow me on a murderous rampage, despite it going against everything you believe in?" Raven rolled his eyes. "You're something else, Lucius," he said.

"And...?"

Raven sighed.

"And I'm enough of a man to admit I've been beaten," he said. "I'll think about it, all right?"

"Good!" Lucius smirked.

"I'm not making any promises, though, you understand? But for now, I'll accept being on the same side Hector," Raven said. "And like I said, I'll think about calling off this whole revenge."

"That's all I ask," Lucius said. "Thank you, Raven...you don't know how much this means to me." Raven rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah...well, I don't want to be making you miserable anymore..."

Lucius just laughed, leaning up to rest his head on Raven's shoulder.

"I suppose we should go back and catch up with the others," he murmured.

"We could..." Raven grinned, toying with a lock of Lucius's hair. "But it's not dark yet, and everyone else is most likely wrapped up in their own affairs...I think we could stay a little while longer," he said.

"I guess so..." Lucius smiled, leaning in to rest his forehead against Raven's. "Lady Priscilla won't be very happy about my diverting your attention, though."

"She's had her hands full with Sain all afternoon, so...even if she notices she probably won't have the spare time to get upset," Raven laughed. "Is it just me, or does she not seem to mind him as much as she should? The man's injured, and yet he STILL flirts incessantly with her...I don't trust him."

"Sain may seem like a scoundrel, but he's a good man and an honorable knight," Lucius said. "Now, let's stop talking about them...if we're going to steal some time to Ourselves, I'd rather not spend it gossiping about our comrades."

"You just made us sound like a couple of women, Lucius," Raven frowned.

"Forgive me," Lucius said, but he was laughing.

"That's good to see...I like you best when you're smiling," Raven whispered.

"Raven..."

"Silence," Raven whispered against Lucius's lips. "We've done enough talking for awhile..."

Lucius tilted his head inwards, closing the distance between their lips. Neither one spoke another word for quite some time.

-End-

Gotta love endings that drop hints but don't actually show the kissing/sex/etc, huh? XD I loved writing this. RavenxLucius my slash OTP for "Blazing Sword". XD

As for the Sain/Priscilla reference...purely written in the interest of humor. ;; And Lucius's comment about getting off the subject of Sain and Priscilla has significance as more than a line in the fic...but I won't get into that here. 


End file.
